Review with Maple Leaves

We visited the Butterfly Park in East Brunswick last Sunday. I was planning to post a Nature Notes about the park (didn’t happen! not enough hours or energy in a week); instead, I have material for next week’s Nature Notes.

Elsewhere in the Blogosphere

Jew Wishes reviewed Irretrievably Broken by Irma Fritz, saying “Fritz has woven a tapestry that is profound and compelling within the pages of Irretrievably Broken.” She also has a post with photos by Irma Fritz of Wernher von Braun’s lab at Peenemunde (links no longer exist).

Shimshonit interviewed Ilana-Davita as one of her favorite foodies.

Ilana-Davita shares photos and history of Lübeck’s synagogue.

Mimi cooks up a delicious looking tabbouleh.

Finally, prayers and thoughts for RivkA: Robin’s love, Batya’s letter, Jameel’s latest update on RivkA’s blog.

Update on Friday: “Baruch Dayan HaEmet – Blessed is the True Judge.

This is the blessing said upon hearing the news of someone’s death.

About 11:10 AM this morning, RivkA passed away.

Funeral plans are in the process, and we’ll post them as soon as we know.

May RivkA’s family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”

One more update, a parsha thought on Hayye Sarah by Jeffrey Woolf: “Abraham came to Hevron to eulogize Sarah and to cry for her. The Rav זצ”ל used to emphasize that ordinarily the order is the reverse. First once cries. Only after time passes and perspective returns, can one eulogize the departed and evaluate who they were.

Sometimes, though, one is obligated to suppress one’s primal shriek of pain in order to tell the world just who the person was who has gone. That way, the Rav said, we try to involve as many people as possible in mourning the tragedy. Once the eulogy is achieved, we may all let ourselves go and cry out in pain.”